By Jason Richland
Junior Matt Morizio belted a two-run triple into the right field corner to give Northeastern the 5-4 victory over Marist College Tuesday at Friedman Diamond.
Everything has been going right for the Huskies as they extended their record to 24-20 overall and 12-5 in the conference. The Huskies have been red-hot since conference play began with a victory over the University of Hartford on April 9, going 17-9 since and finally securing a spot in the America East Conference tournament with Monday’s victory over the University of Maine.
The non-conference victory over Marist was significant as a tune-up heading into the final weekend of regular season play, gearing up for the conference tournament beginning May 26 in Burlington, Vt.
Perhaps the most important event of Tuesday’s tilt was the emergence of Morizio.
Morizio has been the starting catcher at NU for three years, but in the seventh inning against the Red Hawks the 6-3 righthander took the mound with one out and runners on second and third. Armed with a fastball that tipped 91 mph on the radar gun and a nose-to-toes curveball, Morizio induced a weak groundout from the first hitter and blew his heater past the second batter to get out of the jam.
In the eighth inning, Morizio pounded the strike zone with his fastball and induced a foul popout to third, a swinging strikeout and sat the final batsmen of the inning looking at a knee-buckling curve.
“I pitched in high school,” Morizio said. “I just started pitching recently here. Hopefully I can get a chance to pitch come tournament time.”
Morizio was drafted as a pitcher by the San Diego Padres in the 48th round, 1418th overall in 2002 out of high school before he decided to join Northeastern.
“We knew he pitched,” said NU coach Neil McPhee. “In no way did we know his velocity was where it is or his breaking ball was what it is. He touched 91 a couple times and he has a hammer of a curveball. Morizio has always been a terrific player every which way and now with his presence on the mound he becomes a huge factor.
“We still regard him as our starting catcher, until that time comes when that might change,” McPhee added.
Prior to the start of conference play the team held a meeting to try and turn things around when the team was 6-15. It worked, because the Huskies swept Hartford to open up the conference schedule.
“Everyone gave their two cents, the freshman red-shirts, the seniors, we knew we had to start winning,” Morizio said. “The biggest thing with us is our team chemistry. There is nothing we can’t do.”
NU proceeded to rattle off five wins in a row and seven of their next eight.
“That’s the funny thing about baseball,” McPhee said. “Luck, baseball gods and if you’re hot; that is what determines how you do, especially in the tournament. Right now, this team feels like it can beat anybody. Mentally, we are at the top of our game.”
Over the weekend the Huskies took two of three from Maine.
On Monday, the Huskies trailed 4-0 heading into the eighth when sophomore Dan Milano drew a leadoff walk. Junior Brian Nutting doubled and freshman Mike Lyon singled. Juniors Chris Emanuele and Arman Sidhu, as well as senior Jeff Heriot, walked. Finally Tim Bush singled and the Huskies closed out the inning leading 5-4. They finished with a 7-4 victory.
In the Saturday double-header, sophomore Adam Ottavino dominated yet again with 12 strikeouts over nine innings in a 5-2 victory in the first game, but the Huskies dropped the second game 13-7.
On April 10, the Huskies traveled to Central Connecticut State University and earned a 12-7 victory following a tight double-header split with Binghamton on April 8.
Ottavino threw seven innings and fanned eight in the 2-1 victory in the early game. Senior Devin Monds allowed just one earned run in seven innings, but took the loss in a 2-0 game.
The Huskies will likely face either Maine or Vermont in the tournament depending on the events of the series at Stony Brook beginning May 20.
